"They fully understand that they hold all the cards to their playoff destiny in that sense," Combs said.

If the Hornets lose and Las Plumas (5-4, 1-3 BVL) beats Oroville, it gets complicated. If the Hornets and Thunderbirds both win and Red Bluff loses, then it gets more complicated.

Red Bluff checked in with 11.07 playoff points ahead of Enterprise’s 10.19 and Las Plumas’s 9.18 points in the latest figures released Monday. (Those figures can be found here.) If all three teams lose, then it seems things would stay as they are.

So, one eye for Division II football fans is focused on Moynahan Field Friday night.

The other eye is on Harrison Stadium in Oroville, and the other eye is on Bob Reid Stadium in Anderson, checking the Anderson/Red Bluff game.

Combs took over as interim head coach last Monday after Russell McWilliams stepped down due to health and family reasons.

The Hornets were on a five-game losing streak and trailed 14-0 at Paradise before they came back and won 49-34.

Not too much has changed in the two weeks since he's become interim coach, Combs says. It would be hard to make a bunch of dramatic changes this late in the season.

But the coaches did slightly change the blocking schemes on the offensive line, opting for more angles, double-teams and down blocks as they look to create more matchup advantages.

The result in the running game against the Bobcats was 233 yards on 31 carries, the Hornets’ best rushing performance of the season.

"Just getting these guys' mindsets committed to running the ball, that we're going to do it and we're going to be committed to it, because it did set up a lot of stuff for us in that last game," Combs said.

The run game will be even more critical Friday against the big, physical and well-coached Vikings.

Week 10 Storylines

Foothill at Shasta

A first outright league title since 1999 for Shasta when the Wolves (8-1, 4-0 EAL) host Foothill (5-4, 2-2 EAL). The Cougars (No. 3 in the D-II playoff points with 16.06) could get a home playoff game if they win, but might need some help if they don't. The Wolves (29.64 points) are No. 1 in D-II.

Shasta Cascade League Championship Game: University Prep at Fall River

It’s winner-take-all in McArthur on what will probably be a rainy Friday night as Fall River (7-2, 3-0 SCL) hosts University Prep (6-3, 3-0 SCL). The winner takes home the Shasta Cascade League Championship.

"We've played in some tight games and won in overtime twice already this season, won a blowout this last week and got a lot of momentum. We're peaking at the right time," U-Prep coach Kyle Anderson said.

On the line for U-Prep is more than a league title. Win, and U-Prep probably gets either Corning or Gridley at home in the first round. Lose, and the Panthers likely head to Sutter or West Valley.

According to the Northern Section football guidelines, the Panthers get a home playoff game if they win despite playing in a league of D-V teams and despite being No. 6 by a wide margin in the playoff points (17.67, behind No. 4 Corning with 21.04).

Head coach Todd Sloat says he expects the Bulldogs defense to have a hard time with the Panthers' shotgun Wing-T at first.

"But they'll settle in as the game goes. (U-Prep does) a good job, they've got some really good people. It'll be fun to really try to defend," Sloat said by phone Wednesday.

The Panthers have six players with 36 or more rushes this season, led by Dylan Cabral (129 carries, 625 yards, seven touchdowns).

Red Bluff at Anderson

Anderson (7-2, 4-1 NAL) can essentially wrap up a No. 3 seed with a win. Red Bluff (4-5, 3-2 NAL) solidifies a playoff spot with a win, but without one the Spartans will need some help from either Oroville or PV.

Central Valley at Lassen

The Falcons (0-9, 0-5 NAL) hope to close 2017 with a win at Lassen (3-5, 1-3 NAL). The Grizzlies are No. 8 in the D-III playoff points (14.13, more than double No. 9 Yreka’s 6.58 points).

The Lions (6-3) host Greenville (7-2) in the first round of the 8-man football playoffs. Redding Christian's Austin Larson should be ready to go after tweaking his ankle against Big Valley. If he's not, Isaiah VanDenend did throw for 168 yards and two scores against Butte Valley last week. Greenville rushes for an average of 444.7 yards per game and has three players averaging better than 12.6 yards per carry.

Bye: West Valley (5-4, 5-0 NAL)

Connect with reporter Patrick Carr on Twitter @PatrickCarr_RS, on Facebook at Patrick Carr RS or by email at rssports@redding.com